New York officials tour Indigenous communities ahead of hydro deal

MONTREAL — Officials from New York City have been visiting Quebec’s north to learn more about the impact a possible hydro power deal between the city and the provincial utility would have on Indigenous communities, a spokesman from the mayor’s office said Monday.

Mark Chambers, the director of the New York City mayor’s office of sustainability, said a three-member delegation recently visited Cree and Innu communities in the James Bay region and along the St. Lawrence River’s north shore.

He said the city wanted to consult with all the stakeholders before beginning formal negotiations that could see New York City increase its imports of Quebec hydroelectricity as part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the city by 30 per cent by 2030.

“We want be sure we understand all the components that go into a deal and not just what we might hear from one party or another,” Chambers said in a phone interview. “All of those go into the factors that help us decide if we go forward with a deal or not.”

Bill Namagoose, the executive director of the Cree Nation Government, said he believes it’s the first time a major potential energy client has flown in to consult people in the area before making a purchase.

“It’s never been done where the end user is coming to the source of the electricity they want to buy, so we’re favourable to that position,” he said.

Namagoose said the Cree communities had one main message for their American visitors: that any power exported to New York should come from existing energy surpluses and not lead to the construction of any new dams or stations.

“The Crees have said they don’t want any more hydro projects on their territory, and that’s the message we gave to the guests from New York,” he said.

Namagoose said he has known de Blasio for decades and has reason to believe the mayor won’t sign a deal to purchase additional Quebec hydro power that doesn’t respect Cree rights.